Rattler eager to 'represent seven the right way'
The South Carolina football program welcomes back one of the greatest players in program history on Saturday night.
The Gamecocks will retire Jadeveon Clowney’s jersey at halftime of Saturday’s season opener. He’ll be the first player with a similar honor since Sterling Sharpe’s No. 2 was retired in 1987.
While all eyes will be on a former No. 7 at halftime, a new No. 7 will be trying to captivate fans on the field.
“It’s really cool. Probably the best defensive end ever to come through college football,” Spencer Rattler said. “Big name here, big name across the country and the world so that’s really cool that they’re honoring him in that way. I definitely got to represent seven the right way while I’m here.”
Since the number isn’t getting retired Rattler nor Jordan Strachan, the No. 7 on defense, will have to scramble and find new numbers.
And Rattler wouldn’t want to.
Donning the No. 7 grew from a childhood admiration for Michael Vick on the football field. And, after a brief hiatus to No. 2 in high school, Rattler switched back at Oklahoma and then with the Gamecocks.
Clowney was the No. 1 player in his class and bulldozed his way through offenses. He finished sixth in the Heisman voting in 2012 and was an All-American while still holding numerous school records.
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The jersey holds a lot of weight in the program after what Clowney accomplished during the 2010s. Clowney is one of the best players ever to come through the program
“I really hadn’t thought about the whole number seven connection with Spencer and him both,” Shane Beamer said. “It’s great to see Spencer wearing any jersey here at South Carolina. I guess it’s even better that he’s wearing seven.”
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Beamer still remembers being an assistant at South Carolina during Clowney’s recruitment.
He’s excited, obviously, to get him back on campus and show the recruits in attendance.
“He’s a guy who was the number one player in the country. … Very rarely do you have a guy who’s the number one player in the country, goes to a college and ends up being the number one draft pick as well after his college career,” Beamer said.
“It’s a great opportunity for him. It’s a great honor and it’ll be fantastic for so many recruits here Saturday night to see a guy in his shoes and got to where they want to be.”
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